Alabama has made great strides in improving high school graduation rates in recent years. Part of this success may be attributed to the advent of the online high school in Alabama. Learn more about the online learning options available to students in Alabama.

Online high school in Alabama

The state of Alabama is committed to providing access to quality education to all Alabama public high school students. To this end, Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, & Students Statewide (ACCESS) Distance Learning plan was formed by the Alabama State Department of Education.

The Plan for Distance Learning was released by the Governor's Task Force On Distance Learning in September 2006 with the aim to "provide equal access to high quality instruction to improve student achievement through distance learning opportunities." While all Alabama K-12 students are served through this access to online education, high school students are particularly targeted. A primary objective of ACCESS is to give every high school student the opportunity to take at least one distance learning class during high school. In particular, the option of an online high school in Alabama gives students the opportunity to take the advanced placement, dual credit and elective courses they may not otherwise have been offered in their physical high school.

Improving education with online high schools in Alabama

Graduation rates vary widely in Alabama, from Bessemer City Schools at 35 percent to Vestavia Hills City Schools at 98 percent. By offering online high school opportunities, officials in Alabama are hoping to give all Alabama high school students the opportunity to engage in quality coursework. While Alabama ranked number 43 in the nation for high school graduates in 2011, graduation rates in Alabama high schools have shown promising improvement in recent years, increasing by over 7 percent from 2002 to 2009. By offering access to online high schools in Alabama, the state has seen an increase in enrollment of over 9,000 students per year.

The ACCESS plan removes many of the barriers to education that have stopped Alabama students from getting a quality high school education in the past. In particular, small, rural, and underserved schools are benefiting from online high school opportunities in Alabama.